


Reminisce

by Rivulet027



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Gen, Grief/Mourning, POV C1-10P I Chopper, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Season/Series 01, Team as Family, trauma anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26135278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/pseuds/Rivulet027
Summary: Hera and Chopper let themselves reminisce about the Battle of Ryloth.
Relationships: C1-10P | Chopper & Hera Syndulla, C1-10P | Chopper & Kanan Jarrus, Space Family (Star Wars Rebels)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10
Collections: FandomWeekly (2019-2020) Writing Challenge on Dreamwidth





	Reminisce

Chopper doesn’t need a calendar to tell him what time of year it is. He can tell by the stories that Hera tells and the way they double check their supplies. It’s the way he keeps updating their replacement parts wish list and she keeps adding to their medical supply list. It’s the way she keeps checking in to make all the organic crew members have enough to eat. It’s the way he allows himself to grumble about how much time and effort he’d put into maintenancing his beautiful Y-wing, only to have it shot down and destroyed. No one stops him. Ezra starts to ask. Then Sabine interrupts, “Just give Chopper space Ezra.”

The days wind down to a routine. Zeb’s snore reverberates out his closed door. Chopper shouldn’t need to see. Ezra is a convenient excuse. Zeb cracks an eye open briefly when Chopper slides the door open, but then he goes back to snoring. Zeb understands there’ll be no pranks this week. Ezra is sprawled across the top bunk, one foot peeking out from under the covers. Chopper lets the door slide close and then checks on Sabine. She’s got a white noise of music helping her sleep. Kanan is meditating in his room.

“Kids asleep?” he asks after Chopper whirls a quiet greeting.

Chopper beeps an affirmative. Kanan rises. His fingers brush the top of Chopper’s chassis as he steps into the hallway. They head toward the galley. Kanan makes tea. Kanan’s breathing is a soft barely there thing, while his socks muffle his steps, and the spoon he uses clinks against the mugs. The sounds are small reminders that there are organics living in the The Ghost that Chopper carefully maintains. 

Chopper follows as Kanan joins Hera in the cockpit. He hands her a cup of tea.

“Thanks, Love.” She’s curling in the pilot’s chair. She wraps her hands around the warm mug. Kanan offers her a smile as he settles into the copilot’s chair. He takes a sip of his tea. They sit in silence drinking for a moment. 

“How are you doing?” Kanan asks.

“Remembering,” Hera answers.

Chopper knows how this next part goes. Kanan knows the right words. Hera will reminisce about Master Di, Commander Keeli, and the rest of the clones that gave their lives saving the people her father was trying to protect. She’ll tell the few stories she has of the brother she lost. 

Hera takes another sip of her tea, then her fingers touch Chopper lightly. Kanan presses his foot gently against Chopper’s ambulatory strut. The routine changes. Hera asks if he wants to reminisce about his crew. Chopper takes a moment to consider, to remember what he knows about the clones. They would share stories about those they had lost. They would say their names or comment on what a passed friend would’ve enjoyed. To remember them is to not forget them and to not forget them is to honor them.

Chopper swirls his dome to take in Kanan. He’s breathing and heart rate are at their normal resting rate. 

“Hey,” Kanan soothes. “There’s no pressure here, but they were your family before us.”

He doesn’t have all of his memories from before his Y-wing crashed on Ryloth, but he’s managed to salvage a few that are still precious to him. He takes in Kanan for one more moment, then swirls his dome to look at Hera. She put him back together and then decided to become his friend, his family. He’s grateful to have a family, again. So Chopper shares and he remembers the people they loved and lost with them.


End file.
